Over Christmas, the National Health Service was under intense pressure, with Health Secretary Steve Barclay blaming cases of severe influenza, Covid-19, and concerns about Streptococcus A.
According to the ZOE-Covid study, the number of Covid cases starts to decline in early January, but the number remains high.
As of Thursday 5 January, the ZOE estimates there are around 3.3 million people in the UK with symptoms of Covid-19, with 216,645 new cases reported daily.
Officials have been told a range of additional Covid-style guidance measures could be introduced if the government believes the NHS is on the brink of collapse due to the winter admissions crisis. I. Here’s everything you need to know.
Is it possible to return the rules for wearing masks?
The current directive already stipulates that sick people must wear masks outdoors. However, this is UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) guidance and is not mandated by the government.
A spokesman for the prime minister said: “It’s not necessary. This is more advice from the UKHSA than ministers telling people what to do.”
The government does not intend to support regulations requiring masks to be worn on public transport and indoors, but guidelines could be issued if necessary.
This was reported by a source in the government. I: “The order that children must stay at home when they are sick and that they must wear mouth and nose protection for sick people is a reasonable precaution and has been issued. So it makes sense that teachers can send kids home if they get sick at school.
“We haven’t reached that point yet, but telling everyone, sick or not, to wear masks on public transport isn’t really going to make people disabled.
“It would also make perfect sense to ask people who can work from home if the NHS needs everything to support them during this busy time of the year.”
Dr McKay of the NHS Confederation added: “We don’t think we’re at the stage where we need to consider a possible return to the measures taken in the midst of the pandemic, including mandatory masks, social distancing or restoring guidelines for the public. work at home. NHS leaders understand the trade-offs involved in implementing these measures and will only reintroduce them as a last resort, but taking action to prevent the spread of the disease to others remains prudent.
Will there be another lockdown?
Ministers rule out national lockdowns or school closures.
This was reported by a well-informed source in the government. IChief News Correspondent David Parsley: “There is a list of possible measures. Ministers ruled out lockdowns and school closures. But milder and less drastic measures may soon be introduced if the NHS is in danger of collapsing.
“The focus here is on orientation. Nothing can be imposed or enforced. While the policy is that sick people must wear masks when they leave the house, it may well be that wearing a mask will again become a policy for all public transport users.”
Officials have developed a simplified version of social distancing, advising people to avoid crowded spaces.
None of the new measures will be mandatory, but they will reflect some of the preventive measures in place at the height of the pandemic.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.